Tucking device for wrapping machines



Oct. 11, 1938. E. L. sM rrH 4 2,132,546

TUGKING DEVICE FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Filed NOV. 4, 1936 a INVENTOR I Zbvm Zara: 6mm v 37 7; BY I ITORNEYS Patented Oct. 11, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TUCKING DEVICE FOR WRAPPING MACHINES Application November 4, 1936, Serial No. 109,085

Claims.

This invention relates to wrapping machines and more particularly to means for forming folds or tucks in the portion of the wrapper which extends beyond the ends of the article 5 after the latter has been partially enclosed in the wrapper.

In wrapping relatively thin articles, such as sticks of gum, it is customary after the wrapper has been carried around the article by means of a tumble box, or equivalent devices, to fold the extending ends of the wrapper fiat against one face of the article without side tucks being formed in the end extensions. It has been found that with a fold of this character the flattening of the tubular extension against the face of the article projects the folded ends beyond the sides of the article, interfering with the smooth application of a label to the individual articles or to a stack of wrapped articles such as constitute the usual gum package.

To overcome this difficulty it has been found desirable to form a. tuck in at least one side of the tubular extensions before they are folded over onto the article so that the wrapper will 5 present a smooth surface on at least one side of the article or package of articles.

Because of the thinness of articles such as gum sticks, and the speed at which wrapping machines of this character must be operated if production costs are to be kept within acceptable limits, the usual type of end folders or tuckers cannot in practice be employed. It is the principal object of my invention to provide a tucking or end folding device which will operate satisfactorily on thin articles such as sticks of gum and which can be incorporated with the wrapping instrumentalities heretofore used without interference with the operation of the latter and without increasing the time of operation. In

accordance with the invention the folding device is mounted in the path of motion of the portion of the wrapper to be folded, and operates by allowing the wrapper to impinge upon it during the motion of the article. It is generally necessary to withdraw the folder from adjacency with the article to avoid interference with other parts of the wrapper; and this is conveniently done by giving the folder a motion, preferably of rotation, synchronized with the motion of the article and coordinated with the shape of the folder so that the form of fold desired will be made during the withdrawal of the folder from the article rather than during its approach towards the article as in the usual case.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated one embodiment of my invention in connection with those parts of a conventional tumble box type of gum wrapping machine, showing only such parts of the latter as are necessary to an understanding of the invention. 5

Fig. l is a side view showing a tumble box, transfer device and end folder according to my invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1, the tumble box being omitted; 10

Fig. 3 is a view looking from the left of Fig. 1. the tumble box being omitted;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 1 with the end folder removed to show the relative positions of the tumble box, transfer device and 15 article at the start of the end folding operation;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the structure of Fig. 4 showing the end folders in their position at the start of the folding operation;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing 20 the position of the parts as the end fold is being completed;

Fig. '7 is an end view of the partially wrapped article after the end fold has been completed;

Fig. 8 is a bottom view of the completely 25 wrapped article;

Fig. 9 is a section of the folding member substantially on line 99 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 10 is a modification showing additional end folding members associated with the tum- 30 ble box; and

Fig. 11 is a bottom view of a completely Wrapped article in the production of which the modification of Fig. 10 has been employed.

Referring to the drawing, l0 indicates frame 35 members of the wrapping machine which form the support for the various wrapping members and their operating means. As shown, these comprise a tumble box H and a fingered transport device l2, both of conventional form, the 40 latter being given a generally circular or elliptical movement, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, to transfer the partially wrapped articles from the tumble box into the folding channel I3 formed by top plate I4 and rails l5.

The end folders comprise fingers l6 pinned or otherwise secured to vertical shafts l'l journaled in bearings I8 secured as by machine bolts I9 to a bracket 20 supported from the outer 50 frame member Ill. The lower ends of shafts I! are provided with bevel gears 2| engaging bevel gears 22 pinned to a horizontal shaft 23. Shaft 23 is journaled in a bearing 24, positioned between gears 22 and secured to bracket 20, and

' extends through bearings formed in frame members l0.

Intermediate the frame members In the shaft 23 is provided with an arm 25 pivotally connected to an arm 26 extending from a strap 21 engaged around an eccentric 28 mounted on a shaft 23. Collars 30 secured to shaft 29 keep the strap on the eccentric. Shaft 28 is constantly rotated by means of a sprocket 3i and chain 32 from a source of power not shown, in properly timed relation to the movements of the tumble box and the transport device.

As will be obvious, rotation of shaft 29 will impart through eccentric 28 and linkage 28-25 an oscillating movement to shaft 23 which is transmitted through gears 22--2| and shafts I! to the fingers Hi to oscillate the latter between the full and dotted line positions of Fig. 2.

The parts are timed so that when the first fingers of the transport device i 2 are in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5, and are ready to transfer the partially wrapped article 35 from the tumble box, the fingers i6 are at their extreme inward position as best shown in Figs. 2 and 5, and are positioned immediately in front of the extending tubular wrapper portions 36. The fingers 16 start their outward swing substantially simultaneously with the forward movementof the transport fingers. The speed of shaft 29 and the character of the eccentric 28 are such that the forward movement of fingers I6 is slower than the forward movement imparted to the article by the transport device with the result that fingers l6 engage the leading edge of the tubular wrapper extensions 36 and form a tuck or fold 31 therein. The fold 31 partakes of the character of a bellows fold due to the fact that while fingers I 6 are retreating before the advancing article they are also simultaneously being drawn outwardly from the path of the wrapper. The forward and outward components of the finger movements in the form shown have a resultant pivotal movement. The desired folding operation is accomplished without in any way changing or altering the normal movement of the article and the fold is made more gradually and with less tendency to tear the wrapper than would be the case if the folding members were stationary at the time the fold was made or if the folders were moving to meet the article. The movement of the folder is coordinated with its contour and cross-sectional shape so that the tuck desired will be formed easily and to the final form desired while exerting the least possible disturbing action upon the wrapper.

After passing the folders I6 the tucked outstanding end portions 36 are folded around against the face of the article as shown in Fig. 8 by any suitable folding means and it will be noted that due to the infold 31 the edge 38 of the wrapped article is smooth from end to end and without projecting portions such as appear at 39 at the untucked side.

In some cases, particularly when the article is of substantial width, such as that shown at 4|! in Fig. 11, it is desirable to form tucks at both sides of the article. To accomplish this I place fingers 4| (Fig. 10) at the ends of the article receiving slots 42 of the tumble box which form the tucks 43 as the articles and wrappers are seated in the slots. The tucks 31 in the wrapper of article 40 are made by folders i6 as previously described.

I claim: 1. In a wrapping machine which includes means for advancing a partially wrapped article with a tubular portion of the wrapper extending outwardly from an end thereof transversely to progressively form a fold therein as the memberis withdrawn.

2. In a wrapping machine which includes means for advancing a partially wrapped article with a tubular portion of the wrapper extending outwardly from an end thereof transversely to the direction of its movement, a folding member positioned in the path of said extending tubular portion of the wrapper as the article advances, and means to move the folding member to withdraw it from the path ofthe extending portion of the wrapper during the continued advance of the article, a component of said withdrawing movement being in the direction of advance of the article and having a slower speed in said direction than the speed of the article whereby the extending tubular portion of the wrapper will be folded by said folding member during the withdrawing movement of the folding member.

3. In a wrapping machine which includes means for advancing a partially wrapped article with a tubular portion of the wrapper extending outwardly from an end thereof transversely to the direction.of its movement, a folding member pivotally mounted adjacent the path of movement of the article, and means to swing the folding member about its pivot from a position in the path of said extending wrapper portion to a position outside of said path, said pivotal movement of the member being in the direction of, and at a slower rate than, the movement of the article whereby the so moving folder engages the leading edge of the extending wrapper portion to form a fold therein.

4. In a wrapping machine which includes a tumble box for receiving an article and wrapper to apply the wrapper about the article with a tubular portion of the wrapper extending outwardly from the ends thereof, relatively stationary folding members secured to the ends of the tumble box in position to form a fold in the edge of the extending wrapper portion seated in the tumble box, means for moving the partially wrapped article from the tumble box, movable folding members positioned to engage the leading sides of said extending wrapper portions as the article is moved from the tumble box, and means to gradually withdraw said movable folding members, transversely, from the path of the extending wrapper portions during the advance of the article while maintaining the moving folding members in contact with the wrapper to progressively form a fold therein as the member is withdrawn.

ii. In a wrapping machine which includes means for advancing a partially wrapped article with a portion of the wrapper extending outwardly therefrom transversely to the direction of its movement, a folding member positioned to engage the leading side of said extending wrapper portion as the partially wrapped article is advanced, and means to withdraw said fold-- in; member, transversely, from the path of the extending wrapper portion during the advance of the article while maintaining the moving 5 member in contact with the wrapper to form a fold therein as the member is withdrawn, the

contour and cross-sectional shape of the folder being so coordinated with its movement that the fold will be formed progressively and without substantial disturbing force exerted on the wrapper.

ELMER LOVELL SMITH. 

